Animal Career Secrets answers another question regarding a career with animals—age concerns. All content copyrighted 2007 by Diana L Guerrero. Some rights reserved.

Recently I conducted an animal career consultation with a middle aged woman. Her concern was about discrimination based on her age. Today, there are many different laws to protect against age discrimination but the concern is a valid one and I’ll explain why.

Depending on the animal career you are seeking—age really can make a difference but for a variety of reasons. If you are young, you have the opportunity to try a bunch of different animal careers and to grow within the realm you choose.

Many zoo keepers, for instance, can work their way into management or curatorial positions if they work hard, study, and get coaching from those in the institutions where they work.

If you are older—you don’t really want to mess around because you might not have the same amount of time to spend trying out different roles in the animal field. In that case, the research and volunteering strategies I have mentioned before are critical steps to take before making a change—or leap.

In some instances, fitness and reflexes are important—in fact, critical. As we age, our reflexes slow and that can be deadly if you are training wild animals in close proximity. However, age is not as big of a concern as it used to be. People are living longer and maintaining healthier lifestyles and higher fitness levels than in the past. There are some seniors that I have met that can run circles around younger protégés.

For those seeking a career change later in life, I suggest looking at careers that fit in with your talents and interests. During another animal career consultation I spoke with a woman who could not work hands-on with animals because of health issues—but she really wanted to do something that would make a difference.

I suggested she use one of her talents—and she did. Six months later she wrote me a nice note letting me know that she was doing well and already working in a career with animals that brought her joy, didn’t impact her health, and provided a new income as well!

So, no matter what age you are…you can realize your dreams of a career with animals. It might not look like what you first envisioned but remember, an animal career is not a destination, it is a journey.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.